Brussels, 14 May 2012/ ACP: Diplomatic delegations of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group based in Brussels bade farewell to their most senior peer, H.E Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo, who ended his term as Dean of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors to take up leadership at the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“The past ten years in Brussels are themselves a testament to the vast experience and tremendous capacity that Ambassador Ouedraogo has acquired over the years,” remarked the Ambassador of the Solomon Islands H.E Joseph Maáhanua, who chaired the special session of the Committee of Ambassadors on Thursday.

Ambassador Ouedraogo took up Ambassadorial duties in Brussels, after serving as Prime Minister of Burkina Faso from 1996 to 2000. During his tenure in Brussels, he was, at various points in time, the Chairman of the Working Group on Cotton, the Working Group on the Future Perspectives of the ACP Group, and the Committee of Ambassadors.

As Chair of the Committee of Ambassadors, Ouegdraogo was guided the Group during the 6^th Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ghana in 2008, where Prime Minister Tertius Zongo of Burkina Faso presented proposals on the future of the ACP. He also contributed in particular to facilitating the dispatch of ACP missions to Sudan, Chad, Djibouti, Fiji and Mauritania within the framework of the Cotonou Agreement.

Bidding farewell to his colleagues, Ambassador Ouedraogo urged his colleagues to carry out their missions “with zeal, rigour and effectiveness”, while also calling for collective action: “We must never forget our duty to unity and solidarity, transcending all the divide us and see only what brings us together in our diversity – a diversity which is also our wealth.”

As the new President of ECOWAS, Ouegraodo is responsible for the driving the work of the 15-member regional block, which aims to foster economic growth, development and integration amongst its peoples.

He is succeeded as Dean of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, by H.E. Simon Mlay of Tanzania.

(Pictured: ACP Secretary General Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, new Dean of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors H.E MrSimon Mlay (Tanzania), outgoing Dean and new President of ECOWAS H.E Mr Kadre Ouedraogo, Ambassador of the Solomon Islands H.E Mr Joseph Maáhanua)

– ACP Press